MLS not Ready for Copa Libertadoras

The success of USL-1 sides in the CONCACAF Champions League when contrasted with the failures of MLS sides make this a non-starter.

The talk of Major League Soccer placing one or more teams in the Copa Libertadoras sometime in the near future has once again began in earnest. This idea would quite frankly be laughable given MLS’ current state of play. Perhaps after the new CBA is negotiated could this step be undertaken, but right now with the exception of a Houston Dynamo team whose coach and GM (Oliver Luck and Dom Kinnear) have the magic touch no other MLS side can be counted upon to be competitive let alone get a result in such a prestigious tournament. In addition, enough controversy has developed about how the FMF awards their teams passage to the event, run by COMNEBOL. Interliga, a yearly tournament hel between the Apertura and Clausura seasons and run by SUM, the marketing arm of MLS on US soil has become very unpopular among Mexican fans, managers and even many players. Should MLS set up a similar sham event to award Copa Libertadoras births, surely hard feelings within the league among coaches, players and fans are sure to ensue.

MLS to Copa Libertadoras is a noble long term goal. However, let’s keep the idea long term and work on MLS improving its rather shabby quality of play and renegotiating the CBA in the mean time.

About The Author

A lifelong lover of soccer, the beautiful game, he served from January 2010 until May 2013 as the Director of Communications and Public Relations for the North American Soccer League (NASL).
Raised on the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the old NASL, Krishnaiyer previously hosted the American Soccer Show on the Champions Soccer Radio Network, the Major League Soccer Talk podcast and the EPL Talk Podcast.
His soccer writing has been featured by several media outlets including The Guardian and The Telegraph. He is the author of the book Blue With Envy about Manchester City FC.